Useless amateur Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 A favourite plectrum is just coming to the end of its useful life. Is it just me that feels a sense of depression at the thought of finding another one you feel comfortable with? After using one for a few weeks it seems to hit a perfect stage where it is comfortable to use and it feels like an extension of your fingers. New plectrums never feel right to start with until they wear in, some of them never wear in or feel perfect. I’ve never managed to break a plectrum whilst playing so it is always down to either wear and tear or I lose them somehow which ends with me looking for a replacement. It doesn’t matter how much you spend on them either, sometimes a cheap one will feel great and a more expensive one will be horrible to use. I have even made a few myself out of various bits, some of which have been great for me, others have been like they have beeen made out of rubbish, which they were if the truth is known 😀 Anyway now to find a new one to love Jon 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 I like to use a plec carved from the toenail clippings of giants. It's a bit difficult unless you have some magic beans with which to grow a beanstalk. In the meantime, have a search within the forum for "plectrum" and "pick". There have already been lots of discussions and suggestions that may be of interest. Jack 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 My fingers always feel comfortable, and never wear out. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 Can’t particularly relate as I’ve always preferred the feel of a brand new pick and intentionally use ones that stay feeling that way for a good length of time. Since ‘brand new’ is a much easier state to return to than ‘perfectly worn in’, I’d probably invest some more time and money into trying to find one that feels alright from new and then stick with it - bulk buy and treat them as more of a disposable item. Or I guess maybe find another player whose ‘worn out’ is your ‘perfectly worn in’ like some people (equally confusingly to me) do with roundwound strings! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 I have a favourite type of pick ( Jim Dunlop .88) and I like them new.... so no issue you would think. Problem is I keep playing them even after they go past the best (rounded) - cannot get the habit of throwing them out. This stems from younger days when I would always lose picks before they rounded off - nowadays I rarely lose one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 Jim Dunlop Jazz III... used em years back on the GTR... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dapper Bandit Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 I liked the 3mm stubbies, back when picking was a large part of my repertoire. Lasted a good amount of time because there was so much material to wear through! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 I buy mine 144 at a time with the band logo on from in-tune GP. I use the large three-sided ones, takes about five years before I reorder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 You can lightly scuff up the bit you hold with a brillo pad if you want to get a bit more grip on a new one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 It never entered my mind the nuances of the feeling of a pick, I'm a finger style player, so im open to education. I get the genre of music plays a big part. Maybe I should try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Useless amateur Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share Posted October 17, 2020 2 hours ago, Cat Burrito said: You can lightly scuff up the bit you hold with a brillo pad if you want to get a bit more grip on a new one. That’s so obvious and I’d never thought of it. Thanks Jon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman666 Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 (edited) Until recent years I'd always been a pick player. I'm now trying to use fingers just as much. The only picks I ever use are dunlop sharp picks. I find the tighter point makes playing fast easier and excellent note consistency/clarity Edited October 17, 2020 by Bassman666 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 (edited) 14 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said: My fingers always feel comfortable, and never wear out. Unfortunately, two of mine have worn out so thats why I tend to pick play (Tortwx Triangle 1.0) Edited October 17, 2020 by Bassfinger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 I love a Tekpik aluminium thingy. Properly aggressive tone and last forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted October 18, 2020 Share Posted October 18, 2020 6 hours ago, paul_5 said: I love a Tekpik aluminium thingy. Properly aggressive tone and last forever. That's got to be a hard alloy of aluminium to last any length of time. How do those do on wear and tear on both the plectrum and the strings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 On 17/10/2020 at 07:48, Newfoundfreedom said: My fingers always feel comfortable, and never wear out. The skin does wear out - but it regrows! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you . . . the self-repairing guitar-brain interface. I call it "The FingerTip". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 (edited) I am primarily a pick player too. I am perfectly capable of playing with my fingers, and I primarily do so when I play electric guitar, but for bass I much prefer the specific tone you get from a pick, that signature snappy emphasis of the attack. Personally I prefer a relatively flexible one and found the Dunlop USA Nylon .73mm just about perfect for me, and since those picks are ready available and cheap I will never face any problems with finding a new pick, and I got no issues with brand new picks either. Edited October 19, 2020 by Baloney Balderdash 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicbassman Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 I use a pick about 10% of the time (Jim Dunlop 1mm) and for certain rhythms a pick is really pretty essential to get the right feel. Take this, for example: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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